The Saints were in a precarious position when Ralph Hasenhuttl was handed the reins at the start of December, collecting just nine points under the previous boss Mark Hughes.
They have seen a massive upturn in fortunes since Hasenhuttl took charge and last week’s 3-3 draw against Bournemouth, coupled with Cardiff City’s defeat at Fulham, means the south coast side are safe with two games to spare.
Hasenhuttl has said he will use the remaining matches to assess his fringe players as he prepares for a busy summer transfer window.
Goalkeeper Fraser Forster could be handed a recall having not featured in the Premier League this season, while Mario Lemina is pushing for a start for the first time since recovering from a troublesome abdominal issue.
Jannik Vestergaard will miss the remainder of the season through injury, joining Michael Obafemi on the sidelines, while Maya Yoshida is a doubt with illness.
Saturday represents the 100th time Southampton and West Ham have faced off in the league, the Hammers winning the most recent fixture 2-1 at St Mary’s in December.
West Ham are looking for a first league double over the Saints since 2001 and showed last week at Tottenham that they aren’t quite 'on the beach'.
Manuel Pellegrini's men became the first visiting team to win at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thanks to Michal Antonio’s goal last weekend, ending a run of four games without a win.
A first top-10 finish in three years is now the aim for West Ham with Pellegrini admitting it has been a season of transition, the ex-Manchester City manager claiming that he wants to spend the summer building towards a push for a European finish next term.
West Ham have been boosted by the news that Samir Nasri and Manuel Lanzini will be available to face Southampton this weekend.
Nasri, who joined the Hammers on a short-term deal in January, has missed five games with a calf strain.
Lanzini and Aaron Cresswell are fit again, while Carlos Sanchez could make his comeback from a knee injury.
BETTING ANALYSIS
West Ham ended a four-match winless run with a victory over Tottenham. The Hammers will be looking to follow that up when they meet Southampton at the London stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini was under a tad of pressure when his side suffered three straight defeats at the hands of Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United. However, that pressure undoubtedly grew when his men blew a 2-1 lead to draw with Leicester City.
Nevertheless, a slender 1-0 win over Spurs in the London derby seems to have put the Hammers back in a good frame of mind. This Saturday they will be looking to continue their momentum when they take on a Saints side in mixed-form.
Southampton have managed to secure their Premier League survival however recent results suggest the team still has a long way to go to improve.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have won just one of their last five games scoring nine goals and conceding 11 in that time frame.
Looking at the head to head record, it’s clear that both teams aren’t goal shy when they come up against each other. With that in mind, the recommendation is to back a home win but both teams to score at the current price of 3/1.
This bet landed earlier this season when both teams met at St. Mary’s Stadium. Two late goals from Felipe Anderson sealed a 2-1 victory for the Hammers. We expect the script to follow a similar path but not necessarily with the same protagonists.
Recommendation
West Ham to win and both teams to score – 3/1 bet365*
*prices correct at time of writing and are subject to change
West Ham v Southampton
PaddyPower Pre-Match Odds: West Ham 5/4, Draw 5/2, Southampton 2/1*
MATCH PREVIEW
The Saints were in a precarious position when Ralph Hasenhuttl was handed the reins at the start of December, collecting just nine points under the previous boss Mark Hughes.
They have seen a massive upturn in fortunes since Hasenhuttl took charge and last week’s 3-3 draw against Bournemouth, coupled with Cardiff City’s defeat at Fulham, means the south coast side are safe with two games to spare.
Hasenhuttl has said he will use the remaining matches to assess his fringe players as he prepares for a busy summer transfer window.
Goalkeeper Fraser Forster could be handed a recall having not featured in the Premier League this season, while Mario Lemina is pushing for a start for the first time since recovering from a troublesome abdominal issue.
Jannik Vestergaard will miss the remainder of the season through injury, joining Michael Obafemi on the sidelines, while Maya Yoshida is a doubt with illness.
Saturday represents the 100th time Southampton and West Ham have faced off in the league, the Hammers winning the most recent fixture 2-1 at St Mary’s in December.
West Ham are looking for a first league double over the Saints since 2001 and showed last week at Tottenham that they aren’t quite 'on the beach'.
Manuel Pellegrini's men became the first visiting team to win at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thanks to Michal Antonio’s goal last weekend, ending a run of four games without a win.
A first top-10 finish in three years is now the aim for West Ham with Pellegrini admitting it has been a season of transition, the ex-Manchester City manager claiming that he wants to spend the summer building towards a push for a European finish next term.
West Ham have been boosted by the news that Samir Nasri and Manuel Lanzini will be available to face Southampton this weekend.
Nasri, who joined the Hammers on a short-term deal in January, has missed five games with a calf strain.
Lanzini and Aaron Cresswell are fit again, while Carlos Sanchez could make his comeback from a knee injury.
BETTING ANALYSIS
West Ham ended a four-match winless run with a victory over Tottenham. The Hammers will be looking to follow that up when they meet Southampton at the London stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini was under a tad of pressure when his side suffered three straight defeats at the hands of Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United. However, that pressure undoubtedly grew when his men blew a 2-1 lead to draw with Leicester City.
Nevertheless, a slender 1-0 win over Spurs in the London derby seems to have put the Hammers back in a good frame of mind. This Saturday they will be looking to continue their momentum when they take on a Saints side in mixed-form.
Southampton have managed to secure their Premier League survival however recent results suggest the team still has a long way to go to improve.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have won just one of their last five games scoring nine goals and conceding 11 in that time frame.
Looking at the head to head record, it’s clear that both teams aren’t goal shy when they come up against each other. With that in mind, the recommendation is to back a home win but both teams to score at the current price of 3/1.
This bet landed earlier this season when both teams met at St. Mary’s Stadium. Two late goals from Felipe Anderson sealed a 2-1 victory for the Hammers. We expect the script to follow a similar path but not necessarily with the same protagonists.
Recommendation
West Ham to win and both teams to score – 3/1 bet365*
*prices correct at time of writing and are subject to change
Head to Head Comparison
West Ham United - Last 5 Matches
Southampton - Last 5 Matches